Controlled preparation of CuO and Cu nanoparticles attached on carbon nanotubes for glucose sensing

Hybrids of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and cupric oxide (CuO) nanoparticles were synthesized through a simple surfactant-free method in ethanol media. The morphology and the size of the CuO nanoparticles can be controlled by changing the amount of water and NaOH used in the reactions. By reduction under hydrogen atmosphere at 300 degrees C, hybrids of metallic copper (Cu) nanoparticles and CNTs were obtained. Attributed to the small size and evenly dispersing of the nanoparticles on CNTs, the Cu/CNTs hybrids showed very high sensitivity to glucose detection as measured by cycle voltammetry and current-time tests.